Unilateral increased visual sensitivity in cluster headache: a cross-sectional study

Increased sensitivity to light and patterns is typically associated with migraine, but has also been anecdotally reported in cluster headache, leading to diagnostic confusion. We wanted to assess whether visual sensitivity is increased ictally and interictally in cluster headache.

We used the validated Leiden Visual Sensitivity Scale (L-VISS) questionnaire (range 0-36 points) to measure visual sensitivity in people with episodic or chronic cluster headache: (i) during attacks; (ii) in-between attacks; and in episodic cluster headache (iii) in-between bouts. The L-VISS scores were compared with the L-VISS scores obtained in a previous study in healthy controls and participants with migraine.

Mean L-VISS scores were higher for: (i) ictal vs interictal cluster headache (episodic cluster headache: 11.9 ± 8.0 vs. 5.2 ± 5.5, chronic cluster headache: 13.7 ± 8.4 vs 5.6 ± 4.8; p < 0.001); (ii) interictal cluster headache vs controls (5.3 ± 5.2 vs 3.6 ± 2.8, p < 0.001); (iii) interictal chronic cluster headache vs interictal ECH in bout (5.9 ± 0.5 vs 3.8 ± 0.5, p = 0.009), and (iv) interictal episodic cluster headache in bout vs episodic cluster headache out-of-bout (5.2 ± 5.5 vs. 3.7 ± 4.3, p < 0.001). Subjective visual hypersensitivity was reported by 110/121 (91%; 9 missing) participants with cluster headache and was mostly unilateral in 70/110 (64%) and ipsilateral to the ictal pain in 69/70 (99%) participants.

Cluster headache is associated with increased ictal and interictal visual sensitivity. In contrast to migraine, this is mostly unilateral and ipsilateral on the side of the ictal pain.